Late Mhunga suffered from diabetes,BP

The late Tanda Tavaruva, who died at his Rhodene home yesterday (May 11) had battled diabetes and hypertension since 2012, a family spokesperson has said.

In an interview, Nyaradzai Tavaruva said the late businessman, who ran a successful bus company under the name Mhunga for close to three decades, had been taking his medication consistently before disaster finally struck.

“He has been unwell for a long time. Since 2012, he suffered from diabetes and BP. It is unfortunate that he finally lost the battle and that we as a family have also lost him,” he said.

He also said soon before his death, Tavaruva was refused admission into Makurira Memorial Clinic on the basis of Covid-19.

“He was turned away as they said they could not admit somebody who had not undergone Covid-19 tests. We then took him back home and made arrangements that he be tested at home but as we waited for the testing team to come, he passed on,” he said.

Tavaruva was born on March 07, 1936 in Gutu.

He started his bus business in 1983, building himself up to become a household name in the transport sector at least at provincial level.

Several misfortunes, however, dogged the business over the years, with 37 Masvingo Teachers’ College students being killed in one of the bus accidents along the Harare-Masvingo highway.

Several other disasters followed, culminating in government deciding to cancel the company’s operating licence in 2009 after then Transport minister Nicholas Goche accused the company of killing 70 passengers in three months.

The company sustained hundreds of families through direct jobs while a substantial amount of resources were also channeled towards supporting Masvingo United Football Club.

Mhunga would consistently top the list of contributors to the Masvingo Mayor’s Christmas Cheer Fund every year by donating thousands of dollars to the charitable initiative.

Tavaruva, who is survived by his wife, six children and 23 grandchildren, was buried today Thursday, May 14 at Mangwandi Cemetery.